Valdez Adjusts and Beats Brewers

Ismael Valdez made a small adjustment to his motion, and it made all the difference. He pitched seven strong innings for his first victory in more than a month, leading the San Diego Padres over the Brewers, 5-2, Sunday at Milwaukee.

“I kept the ball down, and my pitches were working a lot better. My body was going toward first base instead of toward home plate,� Valdez said, adding that he also moved to the left side of the rubber to help his balance.

Valdez (4-2), who had not won since beating Montreal on April 27, gave up nine hits and two runs. He helped his own cause with a run-scoring ground-rule double with two out in the sixth inning to make it 5-1.

Florida 8, New York 6 -- The Marlins, who completed a three-game sweep at Miami and are a league-best 30-20, lost right-hander Josh Beckett, who left after 2 2/3 innings because of a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand. The Marlins will put him on the 15-day disabled list today and activate right-hander A.J. Burnett, who will make his return Thursday on the road against the Mets.

Houston 7, St. Louis 1 -- Mike Lamb, Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman hit two-run homers at Houston. Albert Pujols hit his major league-leading 15th homer for the Cardinals, a ninth-inning drive that gave him six homers in his last eight games.

Chicago 12, Pittsburgh 1 -- Derrek Lee broke out of a one-for-20 slump with three hits and four RBIs at Pittsburgh, helping the Cubs end a five-game losing streak, their longest skid since Sept. 22-27, 2002.

Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 1 -- At Philadelphia, Eric Milton pitched seven strong innings, and Jim Thome hit his 12th home run to lead the Phillies. Milton (6-1) gave up one run and three hits, striking out eight.

Montreal 6, Cincinnati 2 -- The Expos’ Tomo Ohka (3-5) became the first major league pitcher in more than five years to bat higher than ninth in the starting lineup. He batted eighth and was hitless in two at-bats, but worked 6 2/3 strong innings at Montreal.